The Sage Arts

Have you ever tried to visualize the relationship of colors in three dimensions? It's not some fancy trick. It's actually fairly easy to do so with the right tools.

My guest in this episode is Tracy Holmes, the creator of the Breakthrough Colour system. We're going to talk about what that system is and how the BTC concepts can help you create a better understanding and mastery of color. We'll also discuss the creation of color palet...

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you fail or fall short of your expectations? Are you hard on yourself? Do you get frustrated or have moments when you just want to give up? The fact is, most people do. It’s just part of the human experience but that doesn’t mean it’s not difficult or valid. What it is though, is something to be aware of and have a game plan for dealing with it so it doesn’t get in the way of enjoying...

Have you struggled with creating color palettes or even just deciding what colors go well together? Today’s chat is a real eye-opener, breaking through the restrictive, although not wholly useless, traditional color schemes to unveil the simple reason why some colors go together better than others and how to unerringly identify what colors work well in combination and why others don’t.

Pull out a CMY color wheel, if you have one, so...

We talk a lot about not giving up in our societies. We talk about persistence and all the ways that you can accomplish and finish things, but how often do we talk about the importance of setting things aside when they aren't fulfilling our needs?

In this episode, I’ll speak about why giving up can be a really great thing to do, when it is the right choice, and how to figure out whether persisting or setting aside particular pieces,...

Does color theory and color mixing ever just make you feel stupid? Have you felt like there's a secret to understanding and working with color that just hasn't been revealed to you yet? Well, today, I'm going to demystify the concept of color and give you a very straightforward and rather fun way to understand and work with color that'll show you that, all along, it wasn't you. It was the system! By the end of this podcast, you'll ...

What kind of rituals do you use to start, end, or otherwise use to shift to or from a creative state of mind? Are you aware that you have rituals, or do you even have any? Brett and I got into an intense discussion about this over lunch one day and just popped into the studioto record it for you. Come join us as we explore and learn to appreciate the acts that we use to get into, wrap up, or shift gears for a creative session. &nbs...

How and why do you arrange the elements in your artwork the way you do? Sure, you can just put it down so it “looks good” but did you know that you can direct your viewer and add to the experience and feel of your work through intentional arrangements? With a few guidelines and an understanding of how people take in visual work, you can lead the viewer through your art to give them specific experiences and enrich what you are shari...

Are you an original thinker? Do you have a mindset that focuses on what’s needed or on what everyone else is doing? Those are the questions Sage aims to help you, not just answer, but give you an understanding of what original thinking really means, why you need it, and how to create an original thinking mindset from a few simple questions. ‘

Don’t miss this essential discussion for all creatives who want to stand out and live their...

How do you define success for yourself as a creative? Is success even something you want to be thinking about? In this enlightening conversation, Brett and I dig down into the concept of success, the various ways to measure it, the deceptive goal of happiness, and how to track your version of success so that you can be and feel truly, well, successful in your creative life.

Contact my guest:

Brett Varon: www.instagram.com/brett.varon...

We’re diving into the wonderful world of composition here, especially the composition you already instinctively know, if you know what to listen for. We’ll talk about focal points, grids and guidelines, and classic compositional approaches but mostly, this is about your awareness of how you arrange elements in your work and the effect it has on your viewer.

Come join me for the first installment of this two-parter on the wonderful a...

Do you have ready access to your child side? Do you often create just to amuse yourself or do you find you are primarily motivated and maybe get lost in your obligations to other people or a sense of being of service to other people and the betterment of our world in general?

As you'll hear, none of these approaches are exclusive of each other but sometimes the balance between taking care of ourselves and taking care of others, atte...

Let’s talk about the relationship between beauty and art. How are they related? Are they synonymous? Is all art supposed to be beautiful?

I’ll answer these questions and much more as we take a deep dive into what beauty has to do with art, why we as humans seek it out, the different types of beauty to be found in our work and process, and how to use this understanding to guide your creative career or journey.

Just a little something ...

How much are you influenced by others in your artwork and do you think it helps or hinders or is just kind of a neutral aspect of your interaction with the people and world beyond your studio?

I’d like to put forth an argument for being a lone wolf. When you try to belong there is a danger that your efforts are made and your focus is determined by the pack mentality. The Lone Wolf, on the other hand, finds its own path, discovers th...

After a little break, I’m back with a new design focus for you… the concept of Space. I go over the wide range of implications from positive and negative space, to boundaries and limitations, to the mental and temporal space all creatives need for a fulfilling artistic experience.

I’ll also touch on the ideas of composition and just defining the difference between design, composition, and space to unmuddle the imperfect but immenstl...

How often, when you are creating something, do you ask yourself “What kind of texture do I want?” Or, more importantly, “Why did I choose this texture?” I think we can all agree that texture is an extremely important part of all types of arts and crafts, but why do you choose a smooth texture versus a rough texture? Or a simple texture versus a busy one? What is that mysterious decision making process that goes on subconsciously in...

For Episode #42, I couldn't go small. This had to be the answer to life, the universe, and everything (nod to my fellow nerds out there who get the reference.) But seriously, this is a really full, rich episode contemplating everything from the source of our unique voice to how to process inspiration to combating the overwhelming noise of today's modern world.

In this essential discussion, I break down the difference between our so...

What is your relationship with simplicity in your creative endeavors? Have you ever explored the many advantages of learning to create simple pieces, even if it’s just for practice or exploratory work? Well, whether you have or not, you can get a lot out of this conversation come with ideas about how to recognize the essence of your work through the ideas of simplicity, how to apply it to your exploratory practice comma and even yo...

Do you find any aspect of your art making process easy or are you looking for ways to make it easier, simpler, looking for shortcuts, and why? And in what area do you do that?

In this episode, Brett and I wander through the highs and lows of the artistic struggle, try to define art itself, and work on defining when, if ever, we should be looking for easier ways to create and what that could mean for our growth and joy in the artisti...

What is the role of shape and form in your art? Do you have standard shapes and forms that you find you default to or are you constantly searching for the right ones?

Join me in this third installment of my design lessons series for an overview of an often sidelined couple of elements—shape and form. I’ll talk about how to define them, what they can add to your work, and ways to think beyond the usual forms and shapes you may think ...